The Royal College of Nursing is calling on all political parties to protect patient care across the UK by defending the nursing profession from cutbacks and short sighted decision making, as it launches its manifesto, Nursing Counts, ahead of this year’s General Election.

In the manifesto, the RCN calls on the next Government to commit to the introduction of a series of policies and priorities decided upon by RCN members and reflecting their most pressing concerns.

The priorities are listed below:

IMPROVE patient care

Ensure safe staffing levels across all settings

Give nurses access to training

Listen to staff

VALUE nursing

Give nursing staff the fair pay they deserve

Put a stop to the downgrading of nursing skills and experience

Protect the future of nursing

INVEST in health and care

Guarantee no more cuts to the nursing workforce

Increase resources for community health care

Implement workforce planning that matches the needs of patients

RCN members across the UK will be campaigning on these issues in the run up to May and holding whoever forms the next Government to account in the years to come.

Tina Donnelly, Director of the RCN in Wales, said: “The RCN sets out the membership priorities – the key issues and policies on which nurses believe the next Government must deliver to ensure a healthy nation and effective, modern and patient-focused health care. We aim to raise politicians’ awareness of how they can improve public health and the working lives of nurses.

Nurses are working in every Wales constituency throughout every local community. They are bringing health care to patients in a variety of settings by improving existing services and pioneering new ones. We hope that Welsh MPs will listen to our views and we look forward to working with them.”